The Double Face of the Designer's Son

Chapter 4.

Adrien took a deep breath. It was just minutes before his first meeting with a group of investors in his business. They expected to see the presentation he'd put together of his father's last designs.

"Are you ready for this, sir?" Claire asked. She'd been standing at the ready. "Can I get you anything?"

"Let's see," Adrien opened his briefcase. "I've got the pamphlets, my computer, the slideshow is ready... I'm missing something... Gah!" He slapped his forehead. "My laser pointer!"

"Don't worry. I've got you covered." She handed him...

"This is a pen, Claire." She smiled, took her pen back, turned it around, pointed the end at the ceiling, and pressed a small button on the barrel. A tiny red point flashed around the rafters. She spun it a few times for effect before handing it back to Adrien. Adrien took it and pressed a button. It wasn't the right one. He flashed himself in the eye with a flashlight. Claire rolled her eyes.

"Maybe instead of me acting less professional, you could act more professional. Especially in front of the investors." Claire peeked into the small conference room. "Luckily, we're the only ones here right now. The investors are supposed to get here in ten minutes. I will be in the meeting with you, as your personal assistant and basically the marketing department."

"Marketing department?" Claire sighed.

"You have a copy of my credentials on file. If you've looked at it, you probably know I'm a trained marketing professional. I studied at a school in Canada and interned at numerous companies in America and Canada for a month or two each. Moving on. You have just one other meeting today. It's with me. We need to discuss your new life without your father, my mother, your bodyguard... Et cetera."

"Of course. I can see where you'd be confused about how I want you to be running things around here, considering I haven't told you anything yet."

"Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Mm. The investors are here."

"I'll be next to you the whole time if you need me. If I have to leave the room, I'm wearing an earpiece. There's a matching earpiece in your briefcase. Press the button if you need to talk to me."

"Alright. Got a Xanax?" Claire gave him a weird look. Adrien grinned. "Kidding."

"Afternoon, Mr. Agreste. As you may or may not know, I am Mr. Stewart. So sorry about your loss," he said with a disingenuous smile on his face. Adrien shook his hand warily.

"This is my assistant and marketing aide, Claire," he said.

"It's a pleasure, sir," Claire said, eyes cold as ice.

"These are the other investors, Ms. Hanover, Mr. Lancaster, Mr. Balliol..." The named investors nodded politely to Adrien and Claire as Stewart introduced them. "And, oh, Ms. Grey couldn't make it. She'll be appearing by video conference. If you'd be so kind as to set up a video-conference hub, Claire?"

"Of course, sir." Claire opened Adrien's briefcase and removed his computer, then hers. She scanned her finger, then folded the keyboard underneath the screen to make a thin tablet. Swiping the screen, she set up the conference and turned the tablet to face the projector screen on the wall. Adrien took this to mean he should begin the presentation. He opened his laptop and loaded his slideshow.

"So as you can see, lots of his designs were focused around the theme of mortality," he said nervously. He wasn't sure, but he could make inferences with all the black, spiky designs. They faintly reminded him of his old classmate, Juleka.

"Do you suppose this stuff will sell?" Stewart clasped his hands together.

"I believe so, should we choose to market it as Gabriel's dying designs." Luckily Claire had chimed in when she did. Adrien was not prepared to answer that question.